International Ukester Reflections: High US $$$ Killed my UAS

sam13

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Hi everyone,

Just been thinking about Ukuleles and the UU Marketplace board and why Ukes are moving more slowly ... even some really great Ukes or brands.

And for me, the Canadian Dollar has tanked and now is hovering around 73-77% ... this has really poured cold water my passion for purchasing a new or used Uke.

When our dollar was at par, or close when the UAS burn took hold I would purchase a Uke to satisfy my growing obsession with Ukulele.

Now, it has to be a really big burn and a great price because I have to add the following:

Shipping: $100 US to Canada
Exchange Rate: 23-25%
Bank Pound of flesh: 2%
Taxes: 13%

I look at the price now, add $100 for shipping and multiply it by 140%. OUCH!!!

So it has really cause me do to re evaluate and determine if the burn is real and how badly do I want something.

I think a lot of us non-US Ukulele lovers and enthusiasts are now making the calculation and deciding to not buy more often than buy and it has been contributing to a softer re sale market.

I just thought I would make note and find out what others are finding ... cheers.
 
Most consumer and even higher end ukes are made in China. Have you thought about buying directly from China? I buy from AliExpress.com often, one of my best ukes came from there for $140 US (the Uku Hanknn two hole in my signature). I don't know the exchange rate right now, but it must be better than to the US dollar. I also search eBay daily for tenor ukulele and find plenty of reasonably priced ones from Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
 
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For me, it is a number of different factors.

One is definitely the strong US dollar relative to the Euro. It's just not a very favorable exchange rate for Europeans. The high shipping costs aside, importing a ukulele to Germany from outside the EU adds another 22% of the total value (including shipping and insurance) on top of that. That offsets the advantages gained by buying used.

Another is that the ukulele boom seems to be settling. People either drop out or have found the instruments they are happy with. There are still ukes that I'm curious about, but I'm overall in a place where I'm content with what I already do have, and where I feel I need to become more experienced or skilled before I further refine my preferences. Further refining my preferences would likely mean fewer ukes rather than more.

Also, I feel that once you have been exposed to higher end ukuleles, the air gets thinner. There are fewer instruments that would feel like a definite upgrade, and they also cost more than what qualifies for impulse buys.

From a European perspective, there isn't really much of a used market for the upper mid range and beyond stuff. Looking back at the past few weeks, there were only a Kamaka pineapple and a Covered Bridge concert in Europe that made me briefly struggle (and both were outside the "I don't need this, but why the heck not?" price zone). The truly nice stuff is in the US, just like the majority of great stores and luthiers, and then it's either CONUS only or made unattractive by the US dollar and the added expenses (full circle).
 
+1 from me on this, the tenor guitar i had planned to order this year has accelerated in real cost faster than my ability to save for it. I'm still wanting it, just having to wait longer...
 
I am in the build queue for a MyaMoe. I am still going to purchase - but hopefully when its complete next summer the cdn dollar may have recovered a bit. No shipping or insuance though - I plan on driving from Vancouver to pick it up in person...
 
Actually it's worse than that. The 25% exchange is going from Cdn to US. The other way around it's 33%. So a US$300 uke is Cdn$400. Plus shipping plustax plus bank fee.
 
Yes it certainly does hurt when a $1000.00 ukulele ends up costing you more than $1400.00 of your money. I am in a good place in life, my wife and I being empty nesters and the mortgage paid off. But paying 40% more for the same thing I bougth one year ago is just crazy.

So I just sit and wait and look. Yes UAS is still burning and raging but I am learning to enjoy what I have. Simon and I have spoken of this fact. We were smart/lucky to buy very good instruments early on in our uke playing journey so we are now enjoying them even more. Canadian luthiers are getting my business more often as well.
 
I am in the build queue for a MyaMoe. I am still going to purchase - but hopefully when its complete next summer the cdn dollar may have recovered a bit. No shipping or insuance though - I plan on driving from Vancouver to pick it up in person...

Oh, that is pretty close drive isn't it for you ... hmmm ... perhaps I should stay on the MM build list and fly out to Vancouver ... drive over and stay for a couple of days to save on shipping costs!
 
Actually it's worse than that. The 25% exchange is going from Cdn to US. The other way around it's 33%. So a US$300 uke is Cdn$400. Plus shipping plustax plus bank fee.

I agree ... I calculate about 40% extra ... on top of cost + shipping cost ... makes less sense to buy used unless some one is offering the Uke at a good price. Free shipping from Andrew at HMS for us or as noted Europeans makes a great opportunity to buy new.
 
Yes it certainly does hurt when a $1000.00 ukulele ends up costing you more than $1400.00 of your money. I am in a good place in life, my wife and I being empty nesters and the mortgage paid off. But paying 40% more for the same thing I bougth one year ago is just crazy.

So I just sit and wait and look. Yes UAS is still burning and raging but I am learning to enjoy what I have. Simon and I have spoken of this fact. We were smart/lucky to buy very good instruments early on in our uke playing journey so we are now enjoying them even more. Canadian luthiers are getting my business more often as well.

I am sure once we forget about the dollars were at par two years ago , we will start buying again before it dive to even lower exchange. I can not see Cdn $ going back up any time soon so we might as well learn to deal with it or buy a novelty uke to cure the itch .
 
I am in the build queue for a MyaMoe. I am still going to purchase - but hopefully when its complete next summer the cdn dollar may have recovered a bit. No shipping or insuance though - I plan on driving from Vancouver to pick it up in person...

I just recently took my name off the list. I was getting close to having to give a deposit and I made the decision to jump ship. I already own a Mya Moe which I bought used right here on the market place. I figured what I wanted to order from MM would cost me close to $2400 CDN and I was already happy with the sycamore tenor I own.

I hope our dollar does rally so you don't take a bath on the exchange. Good luck, Mya Moes are lovely instruments
 
Welcome to my world :( I have just returned from Canada with a pile of sand paper making a great saving on last year. I've always been at the mercy of exchange rates. What I fail to understand is why you would want to particularly buy outside your country when there are great builders there. Ever heard of Shelly Park's Moodyville ukes? Phenomenal value and design/build quality from a great maker...

Mivo - it may be slowing in your sphere but I get enquiries every month for $1800/1800 euro+ instruments... Also you should look at my workshop assistant Tom Ziegenspeck if you want a world class German built uke. So should anyone for that matter; his pearled up tenor harp ukulele recently sold for 2,500 euro - a bargain for whoever bought it.
 
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Ever heard of Shelly Park's Moodyville ukes? Phenomenal value and design/build quality from a great maker...

I had not thank you. I can't find a website just a FB page. (I am not on FB) But I may look in her(?) direction. Female "Craftsmen" (maybe we need a new term for that) have always been the best to work with. I would really like to work with a female builder.

And although I feel for our neighbors to the North, who used to have currency 63% of the US dollar not that long ago, before they were 103% of the US$ more recently. I might be taking a closer look at Canadian built ukuleles. They are not taxed when they come into the US at least not yet.
 
Mivo - it may be slowing in your sphere but I get enquiries every month for $1800/1800 euro+ instruments... Also you should look at my workshop assistant Tom Ziegenspeck if you want a world class German built uke. So should anyone for that matter; his pearled up tenor harp ukulele recently sold for 2,500 euro - a bargain for whoever bought it.

That's the "after refining one's preferences" stage I referred to, though, for me at least. If I bought a 2000+ Euros instrument, I would probably know exactly what I want, and there'd be a good chance it would be my One Uke. For me, that's the next attainable step up from where I am, and it would probably mean letting my handful of other ukuleles go (but I'm presently happy with what I have, so maybe my ukulele-y zenith was reached in the 1000 euros sphere).

It is doubtlessly subjective and individual, and also different for collectors, but I feel that the better I know what I like, the less likely I'm to shop around and buy additional instruments. It is a little like dating vs. marrying, at least in theory. (This was all in reference to the used uke market, chiefly at least, that Sam had touched on.)

Your post, and Dave's, did reminded me of the option to focus on regional luthiers. Since this forum here is my main community link to all things ukulele, and the forum is a bit US-centric, it's sometimes easy for my views to also be US-focused. There are great luthiers outside the States, so importing isn't the only approach, and exchange rate troubles are less pronounced.
 
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Shelley Park is an undiscovered treasure - most of her output seems to go to Japan thoI am sure she will sell 'local'. Her time lapse videos are a model of how the build process comes together. I watch them regularly...
 
In Singapore, I'm feeling the effects of the strong USD too. This kinda led me to discover the wonderful Barron River of Cairns, Australia. Do consider getting one of Allen's ukes. Great value for money. Excellent workmanship.
 
We are in the same boat as you Sam, if not worse. Exchange rates are extremely low at about 0.72 and import duties, taxes & freight are a real killer. A ukulele listed at $3500 in the USA will cost about $5000 to land in Australia.
That being said, I'll still buy something I like from the USA because life is short and there are way too many lovely instruments calling my name. I'm never going to be able to control my UAS, so for now I'll just weather the storm.

Well said Campbell and my sentiments exactely. Although I sit and wait and watch if something comes available that I really want I will buy it without hesitation. Life is short but it can be very wide if you fill it up with the things you love and love to do. The dollar will ebb and flow but the passion remains strong.

Ok I am off to look at HMS for the next something special. Should have bought that spruce and ebony Moore Bettah they just auctioned off..........would have only been $12,000 CDN :p
 
That's the "after refining one's preferences" stage I referred to, though, for me at least. If I bought a 2000+ Euros instrument, I would probably know exactly what I want, and there'd be a good chance it would be my One Uke. For me, that's the next attainable step up from where I am, and it would probably mean letting my handful of other ukuleles go (but I'm presently happy with what I have, so maybe my ukulele-y zenith was reached in the 1000 euros sphere).

It is doubtlessly subjective and individual, and also different for collectors, but I feel that the better I know what I like, the less likely I'm to shop around and buy additional instruments. It is a little like dating vs. marrying, at least in theory. (This was all in reference to the used uke market, chiefly at least, that Sam had touched on.)

Your post, and Dave's, did reminded me of the option to focus on regional luthiers. Since this forum here is my main community link to all things ukulele, and the forum is a bit US-centric, it's sometimes easy for my views to also be US-focused. There are great luthiers outside the States, so importing isn't the only approach, and exchange rate troubles are less pronounced.

Mivo,

Don't forget you can buy from anywhere in the EU and you pay local VAT so your only extra is the shipping cost. If you go outside the Euro zone there will be a small cost for currency conversion but it's not that great. I've bought Ukuleles from Brueko and Risa, as well as a good quality Tenor Recorder from Thomann all direct from Germany and I've bought Aquila strings direct from Italy with no problems. The price on the website was the price I paid, conversion from Euro to Pound was a few percent (well under 5%) and shipping costs were very reasonable - in the order of 10 - 15 Euros IIRC, less for the strings. I certainly have no problems buying from mainland Europe but hesitate to buy from the US even though the dollar rate for us is quite reasonable because of higher shipping charges and the import duties (VAT + 5% for the UK, I think) so what looks like a good price when you do the dollar conversion ends up being close to the same number in pounds after you've added in the charges. For US made ukuleles I look for a local sellers as they are better equipped to handle the hassle of importing. Both my Flea and my Fluke came from UK sellers. Similarly if I go for a hand made uke, I will be looking at UK luthiers. I've got my eye on Rob Collins (tinguitar.com) as he is fairly local and his prices look very reasonable.
 
We are in the same boat as you Sam, if not worse. Exchange rates are extremely low at about 0.72 and import duties, taxes & freight are a real killer. A ukulele listed at $3500 in the USA will cost about $5000 to land in Australia.
That being said, I'll still buy something I like from the USA because life is short and there are way too many lovely instruments calling my name. I'm never going to be able to control my UAS, so for now I'll just weather the storm.
Or even more Cam. It just isn't do-able anymore, certainly not for me. The last uke I bought was spot on 2KUSD and I ended up paying over 3KAUS. Add your 300+ for the customs Christmas Party fund and therein is my cure for UAS by default. Time to research builders closer to home. Or stop buying them? Na.
 
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